Abstract
In 1971 interest in the role of prostaglandins in the gastrointestinal tract was stimulated by the publication of two hypotheses--that aspirin damaged the gastric mucosa by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis (1) and that cholera toxin caused diarrhea by stimulating it (2). Subsequent research into the gastrointestinal actions of prostaglandins has been considerable and now impinges on clinical practice. This paper reviews the involvement of prostaglandins and related compounds in mucosal protection, in ulcer healing, in diarrhea, and in gastrointestinal inflammation, with particular reference to the growing body of human data.
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
-
Clinical Trials as Topic
-
Diarrhea / etiology
-
Diarrhea / metabolism
-
Digestive System Physiological Phenomena*
-
Duodenal Ulcer / metabolism
-
Epithelium / drug effects
-
Epithelium / pathology
-
Gastric Acid / metabolism
-
Gastric Mucosa / drug effects
-
Gastric Mucosa / physiology
-
Gastrointestinal Diseases / drug therapy
-
Gastrointestinal Diseases / metabolism*
-
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / metabolism
-
Humans
-
Inflammation / drug therapy
-
Intestinal Mucosa / drug effects
-
Intestinal Mucosa / physiology
-
Lipoxygenase / therapeutic use
-
Male
-
Peptic Ulcer / metabolism
-
Prostaglandins / biosynthesis
-
Prostaglandins / metabolism*
-
Prostaglandins / pharmacology
-
Prostaglandins, Synthetic / adverse effects
-
Prostaglandins, Synthetic / therapeutic use
-
Rats
-
Rats, Inbred Strains
-
Regional Blood Flow
-
Thyroid Neoplasms / metabolism
Substances
-
Anti-Inflammatory Agents
-
Prostaglandins
-
Prostaglandins, Synthetic
-
Lipoxygenase